There are a number of websites in full academic regalia that are about the cognitive neuroscience of art, this ain't one of them. The science part included here is intended for the artist, musician, dancer, etc. The art part will include whatever visual art I find that I can't resist sharing as well as my all too novice-level paintings.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Weekend Workshop with Ray Roberts

April 18 & 19Bear in mind that none of these are completely finished, but if I waited until that happened to post at all...well, who knows. These are the first that I wouldn't be ashamed to be out there with my name on them.

Saturday, the first day, we painted in the nature preserve in upper Laguna Canyon and had to hurry at the end of the day because the rangers were threatening to lock the gate on us--while we sere still inside! We only thought it was a hot day as we were lugging our gear up, around and back...very bright day.

Day 1: Number 1 [8"x10" oil on linen on panel]

I need to lighten the sky to closer to the value of the path to enhance the drama, and add a few highlights in the top of the scrub oaks, plus a few pops of red tones to pop what is already there--a tiny bit of detail in the foreground maybe.

Day 1: Number 2 [6"x8" oil on linen on panel]

This is a Vick-Ray Sergent-Roberts. My original composition with lots of Ray's painting on top of it. This was 5 minutes before park closing and the quickest way that Ray could get his points across was to grab my brush and go at it. I may leave this as is for an instructive example.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday we painted at Casper's Park out Ortega Hwy for those in the know. Today was really hot, heat-wave, 98 degrees and we were in direct sun!Day 2: Number 1 [8"x10" oil on linen on panel]

I need to rectify that tree blob on the lower right, but stopped as the paint was like vaseline and I couldn't do anything with it other than wiping it. Also needed to stop for lunch and to get out of the sun for a while--despite lots of water I had started to pant. A little more variety in the color of the tree on left would be good, plus a little bit of reds to set off a complementary scheme. I think I like this painting best of all (especially if I fix that tree). This is all mine with, maybe, a bit of the purplish brown at the treeline being Ray's. (William, I was the "chicken" standing right by Ray and working on this one when you called--could tell it was you by his half of the conversation.)

Day 2: Number 2 [8"x10" oil on linen on panel]

This is still Casper's Park, but from the shade. A few things need doing here. The sky may or may not be light enough, or maybe it is not enough variety (Ray kept telling me that I needed to get "the shock of the sky" into a painting before I could decide what to do with the rest of it). I need to finish making the field more golden-toned, especially on the right, add a few hints of branches and trunks where the late afternoon light reflected off of them, add a little more red highlights on the rim light on the trees and, maybe, add the tiny short posts at the end of the field right at the bright green band (but will leave that decision for last).

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About Me

Grew up mostly in a small town in Northern California, moved south when I graduated from HS. I was originally an art major and have worked in the jewelry industry and aerospace to get a regular income (hahaha!). In my mid thirties I went back to school and got a bunch of letters after my name, and have been in the academic world for the last 15 years. My area of interest is Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience. I have recently started trying to learn to paint in oils after not having painted in any medium for many, many years. Although I am now "a G** D***** egghead," as my father used to say, I still have many blue-collar sensibilities. That is, I take after my labor Democrat father rather than my Republican mother.